


Of Trees and Trash Pandas

by EmilliaGryphon



Series: Guardians of the Galaxy One Shots [8]
Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), MCU, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, gotg
Genre: Camping, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Plantonic Love, Trees, raccoons - Freeform, trash pandas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-01
Updated: 2017-10-01
Packaged: 2019-01-07 21:11:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12240675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmilliaGryphon/pseuds/EmilliaGryphon
Summary: "That Rocket, is a raccoon." Peter convinces the Guardians to go camping. Groot can talk to trees.





	Of Trees and Trash Pandas

“I can’t believe people on Terra actually do this for fun!” Gamora threw down the supplies in a furry. 

“What your not having fun?!” Peter exclaimed. Drax answered for her, 

“No. I am not having fun. I do not understand why we cannot sleep on the ship. Why must we bed down in this unstable and crowded contraption?” Peter finished unloading the thing called a canoe and sighed, cracking his back.

“It’s a tent Drax, we’re camping. That’s the whole point!” Gamora only arched her brow and bent down to examine the tent poles. “Rocket! Groot! Have you guys got that fire going yet? It’s gonna be dark soon.” 

“I’m working on it!” Rocket grumbled, turning back to where Groot sat cross legged across from him, large dark eyes fixed on the trees all around them. The cybernetically enhanced creature snapped his fingers. “Hellllooo Groot! Groot! C’mon! You can look at the trees after we get this fire going.” The flora colossus did another sweep of the canopy above them with his shining eyes and only after a few moments turned back to Rocket. 

“I am Groot,” he said, reaching out his hand. Small green vines grew from the tips of each finger and Rocket watched in never ending amazement as the greens vines hardened and browned. Satisfied, Groot snapped them off without so much as a wince and handed them to Rocket. 

“Thanks big guy.” Taking the sticks to the pit, Rocket dropped them in and took the gun from his back. 

“No!” Peter’s hand interceded, coming down and grabbing the barrel of the weapon. 

“What?! I’m starting the fire!” Peter frowned, 

“That’s not how you make a camp fire, you gotta use matches.” Rocket starred as the humie extracted a small box from his pocket and demonstrated how to use the matches. 

“Why would you use those when I can just blow it up?” A battle cry made the two of them spin, beholding Gamora standing amid the wreckage of the tent. 

“Peter! This thing is useless!” She fumed, “how are we even supposed to fit everyone?!” 

“Just start the fire with the matches okay, we don’t want to take out any of the trees.” Peter begged before turning to help fix the disheveled tent. Rocket rolled his eyes, taking a moment to enjoy the site of Drax perched on a rock, daggers out and threatening a strange animal peter had called a turtle. 

“Fiine, c’mon Groot I might need more…” Groot was no longer sitting where Rocket left him. With an irritated flick of his tail Rocket headed into the woods, gun out and at the ready. “Groot! Psst, Groot c’mon! Groot flark it!” The trees rustled and branches cracked with every step, though it did smell nice he supposed, it was unnerving. The sun cast golden light through the trees as the sun began to set over the placed lake. “Groot we don’t have time for this! We have to..” Rocket halted, eyes wide. Groot stood before a large tree, the trunk of it at least as wide as him three times over. The large lumbering feet of his friend were nowhere to be seen, instead Rocket eyed the roots sprawling out around Groot, mingling with those of the other trees and descending deep into the soil. Groot’s arms spread on either side of him, wide and open. Rocket breathed slowly, watching his friend close his eyes and the golden spores rise into the green and gold mesh above. A deep, pulsing thrum echoed below him and Rocket watched as Groot slowly put his brow to that of the large tree before him. 

“I am Groot,” Groot breathed. The sun set more quickly now, violent, ruby and sapphire streaks of color now shown all around in a kaleidoscope. “I am Groot,” Groot repeated and the calm vibration rippled again. Rocket’s ears pricked as the trees rustled back. Is he…talking to them? He wondered. As if in answer, the trees rustled again and Groot’s smile widened. His brow still touched the bark of the tree and slowly a golden glow, similar to that of the spores began to shimmer between tree and flora colossus. Rocket watched the golden light, slowly splitting out and upward into millions of what only resembled stars. Up, up, up, into the setting sun and through the woods. The humming of the trees continued as the wind whipped up and Groot’s roots drove deeper into the ground. The forest was alive. Something small and beautiful and wet dribbled down each corner of Rocket’s eyes at the sight of it. Oh, Groot he thought fondly. 

“I am Groot,” it was a few moments before Rocket realized his friend was addressing him. With unspoken words Rocket put his gun back behind him and scurried over and around his friend, finding the familiar purchase on his shoulder. 

“What were you doing?” He demanded, trying his best to sound inpatient. 

“I am Groot,” the Flora colossus explained beginning to walk back. The last of the sun’s rays now disappeared across the lake behind the mountains, the last of those magical spores with them. 

“Yeah, what did they say?” 

“I am Groot,” Rocket listened as they made their way back through the purple haze of twilight. 

“Where is Rocket?!” The sound of Drax’s deep voice sent the two friends coming quicker. “He had better come see this!” 

“I’d better come see what?” Rocket demanded, seeing Peter, Drax and Gamora all standing stone still facing the pile of sticks they had set aside for a fire. Peter only pointed, desperately trying to conceal a grin. Even Gamora looked bewildered. 

“What are you dumbasses staring at?” Peter made no reply, but pointed. Rocket’s gaze followed and his stomach dropped. A small, four legged furry creature with a ringed tail and dark outlines around the eyes looked up at him. 

“What the flark is that?” 

“That Rocket, is a raccoon.” Instinctively Rocket’s claws tightened around Groot’s shoulder and head. The raccoon thing sniffed, sitting up on its hind legs. Rocket watched as it licked its own black fingered paws, then wiped at its face. The ritual was not known to him. 

“I was right! These animals are the ones I would feast on during festivals,” Drax whispered as much as he could. “Rocket, I would never eat you but with your permission, I will spit this animal.” The words hardly registered. Ain’t no thing like me, ‘cept me. His own personal mantra echoed in his mind. The raccoon moved forward again on all fours, exploring the sticks. Rocket had long since given up trying to find anything resembling himself. But now, here, it was facing him. His own darkest hope. There was something after all, that something was an animal. Was a vermin, a rodent. They were right. 

“I don’t know what the flark you idiots are talking about, that thing looks nothing like me!” He mustered a laugh. He watched them gape in disbelief. “I’m getting more firewood.” Rocket jumped down from Groot’s shoulders, running on two legs, as fast as he could into the forest. 

“I am Groot?”

“No! Don’t follow me, I’ll be back in a minute.” 

“I am Groot!” His friend protested, Rocket’s whiskers flicked watching the raccoon grow bored and begin to climb the nearest tree with all too familiar skill.

“Flark it Groot I said no!” Rocket ran, dashing into the woods away from Groot, from Drax and Peter and Gamora. Away from that raccoon. There was something like him and that something was no better than an orloni, a mindless animal. That….that’s what I am. At the water’s edge, Rocket peeled off his jumpsuit and stared at his bare reflection. Fur, claws, snout, whiskers, tail. An animal, a raccoon. Those dark circles around the eyes, his own eyes. Alone in the darkness surrounded by the trees and cicadas, Rocket stared at himself stripped off all weapons and clothing and everything else. What wasn’t animal, was metal. An experiment. His stomach rolled and the wetness came to his eyes again but it was not out of beauty. It was disgust. They were right. Those scientists, anyone who had ever disrespected him. He was nothing but a beast manipulated. 

Something snapped behind him, a branch. Rocket whirled around, fangs bared, reaching for his gun-and halted. 

“I told you not to follow me.” 

“I am Groot.” Rocket shrugged, putting his suit back on.  
“I am Groot?” 

“No I’m not okay!” He snarled, looking at his own skewed reflection in the water. He sighed as Groot came up beside him and sat, looking out across the lake. 

“I am Groot,” Groot reasoned. He sat behind Rocket but made no move to touch him. 

“What do you mean ‘maybe this is a good thing?’” The raccoon did not turn around. 

“I am Groot.”

“Tsch,” he shrugged. Maybe Groot did have a point. All his life he’d been lonely, convinced that he was the only being like himself in the universe. But if he was actually a raccoon, modified by mad scientists, at least that meant he had an origin. At least it meant that he wasn’t so completely alone. There were other things like him, even if not ideal. 

“I am Groot,” that made Rocket turn. His best friend sat before him, arms open. 

“You damn sap,” he grumbled, walking over to Groot and sitting in his lap. The Flora colossus slowly wrapped his arms lazily around himself, making Rocket a comfortable seat from which to watch the niht sky. Down on Terra the stars were so tiny and they only had one moon.

“I am Groot,”

“I know you don’t care what I am.” Rocket watched the sky, the bugs clicked and sang. For a moment he could feel that pulse of the forest Groot had risen.

“I am Groot,” Groot pointed to a shooting star, Rocket smiled watching it arch through the sky. “I ain’t like a shooting star Groot. If anyone of us is anything special or worthy, it’s you big guy.” Groot’s vines wrapped tighter around them as they sat. 

“I am Groot,” he reassured and despite himself Rocket felt his sadness subside. Groot continued to speak, the only voice in the woods. The trees echoed him and Rocket found himself leaning farther back against his friend watching the moonlight streaks against the water. 

“You spoke to the trees today. Awakened them huh?” He said after awhile. Groot nodded. “You like it here on Terra? Maybe we can come back, Star-Dork still wants us to see those Star Fights movies or whatever there called.”

“I am Groot.”

“Star Wars, whatever.” Groot nodded. 

“I am Groot.” The stars shimmered. 

“Yeah, we can come back anytime you want bud.” They sat in the midst of the nighttime forest. No ships, no lights, no nothing but the bugs and the breeze and the crisp cool mountain air. A musky earthen smell of soil not unlike Groot himself permeated everything. 

“I am Groot,” Groot whispered, one hand reaching up and petting Rocket between his ears. The raccoon creature could not help but smile, letting out a deep breath of contentment. Yeah he was a freak, both of them were. But Groot spoke to the trees and knew their secrets and the secrets of many different growing things, he himself shot guns and cursed and got into trouble. He thanked the stars above for Groot, because of Groot Rocket was more than some angry little beast, raccoon or not. 

“You’re a good friend you know that Groot?” Rocket asked, still watching the water. “Thanks for putting up with me.” Another caress between the ears was his only answer. “Don’t know what I’ve done to deserve you but…I sure as flark am glad I got you.” 

“I am Groot,” Groot said, Rocket felt himself flush with emotion. 

“Yeah bud, I love you too.” He leaned all the way back against his friend and closed his eyes. The two of them sat there for what seemed like eternity, Rocket whished it could be. 

“I am Groot,” Groot said reluctantly. Rocket nodded, making their way back to camp. Rocket sighed with relief that Drax, Gamora and Peter were asleep in the folds of the ruined tent. Groot gingerly stepped over them, settling himself in the middle. Peter lifted his head, 

“Oh…” he said sleepily, “your back.” He settled himself on Groot just between his chest and stomach.

“Oi Quill that’s my spot!” Rocket whispered, caring not if he woke anyone up. Peter frowned, glancing as Drax let out a loud snore.

“I’m not moving, Groot tell him to stop before he wakes Gamora and Drax.” 

“I am Groot,” Groot gently took Peter’s head, moving it to rest on his wooden hip. Rocket smirked, crawling down to his spot. He curled up as Gamora unconsciously snugged against Groot’s side and Drax let a limp hand fall over Groot’s other arm. Together they slept. Groot held his family tight, little Rocket Raccoon sleeping atop him. Groot watched his friend’s body rise and fall with his breath. No nightmares, no whimpers. The trees were right, there was pain but there was also love and all would be well.


End file.
